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The Ultimate One Pot Chicken Orzo: Your New Favorite Weeknight Dinner

The Ultimate One Pot Chicken Orzo: Your New Favorite Weeknight Dinner
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Craving a creamy, comforting dinner without the mess? This One Pot Chicken Orzo is rich, delicious, and surprisingly healthy. Tender chicken, fresh veggies, and cheesy orzo all cook together in one pan for a quick weeknight meal that’s full of flavor!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders, cubed into 1” pieces

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • ½ cup diced yellow onion (about ½ medium onion)

  • 2 cups chopped fresh asparagus spears, cut into 1” pieces

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)

  • 8 ounces dry orzo

  • 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth

  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)

  • ⅓ cup half-and-half (or milk)

  • ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan

  • 2 cups fresh spinach

  • Chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Season the chicken: In a small bowl, toss chicken chunks with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes until evenly coated.

  2. Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, high-sided pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 10–12 minutes until browned on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside.

  3. Sauté vegetables: In the same pan, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté asparagus for 2 minutes until tender-crisp, then remove and set aside with the chicken.

  4. Cook the aromatics and orzo: Add onion to the pan and sauté 3 minutes until softened. Stir in orzo and garlic, cooking 3 minutes until the orzo begins to toast.

  5. Simmer with broth: Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping the pan bottom occasionally. Cover and cook 7 minutes, stirring halfway, until most of the liquid is absorbed. (Tip: Microwave broth beforehand to speed up cooking.)

  6. Combine everything: Stir in cooked chicken, asparagus, half-and-half, Parmesan, spinach, and thyme. Heat 1–2 minutes until warmed through and spinach is wilted.

  7. Serve: Garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Use chicken tenders for faster, even cooking.

  • Swap asparagus for broccoli or green beans if preferred.

  • Toasting the orzo slightly adds a nutty flavor and keeps it from sticking.

  • Make it lighter by using milk instead of half-and-half.

  • Great for meal prep — store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://biteseason.com/the-ultimate-one-pot-chicken-orzo-your-new-favorite-weeknight-dinner/

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